


The Key to Light: The Looming Calamity

by jackcloverfield97



Series: The Key to Light [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Adventure, Crossover, Family, Fantasy, Friendship/Love, Pirates, Romance, Survivor Guilt, Tragedy, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29837928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackcloverfield97/pseuds/jackcloverfield97
Summary: Calamity Ganon looms large over the kingdom of Hyrule. The King of Hyrule has commissioned a team of champions to pilot four ancient goliaths known as the Divine Beasts to aid Princess Zelda and the Master Sword's chosen warrior, Link, in their mission to destroy Ganon once and for all.Their plans are upended when world travelers Sora, Donald, and Goofy enter the picture! With the arrival of the Keybearer and his companions, the Heartless are added into an already volatile equation. The champions have to deal with the complications of their newly arrived allies and all of the terrors that Ganon could unleash with the help of the Heartless by going to other worlds to build a new Divine Beast powerful enough to destroy the Heartless.Meanwhile, the dark fairy Maleficent has discovered the destructive potential of Calamity Ganon and intends to harness the powers of the Calamity to spread darkness across the Worlds. But is she really the one pulling the strings of the Heartless? Can our heroes stop the Calamity before it's too late? Find out in the first installment of The Key to Light: The Looming Calamity!
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife, Kairi/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Link (Legend of Zelda) & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: The Key to Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193594
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue

Key to the Light Book One: The Looming Calamity

**Prologue**

Light and Darkness.

These elements are the lifeblood of the universe, the very essence of its foundations. One cannot exist without the other. Light and Darkness are to the universe as breathing is to us. They cannot be divorced one from the other. The Heart, or essence, of the world and the source of light and darkness was known as Kingdom Hearts; A realm of splendor and majesty.

In the beginning, as the first sentient life forms began to convalesce, the World Order of light and dark was respected. Both were cherished in their own fashion and feared with the caution that was warranted by both.

And yet, there have always been those who have sought to disrupt the delicate equilibrium of the universe for selfish purposes. Throughout the millennia, there have been countless wars fought over the light and the dark, disrupting the World Order. There were warriors of light at first who sought to maintain the integrity of that order. These warriors created weapons of light known as keyblades to conquer the darkness that threatened to disrupt the balance.

However, there were some among these warriors whose hearts came to greedily covet the light for themselves. Because of these desires, the great Keyblade War that followed fractured the cosmos and left the World in darkness. The world was reborn because of the light in the hearts of children and, gradually, the balance between light and dark was reestablished. But not before the world was split into many different worlds, each with its own balance of light and darkness. The worlds remain divided to this day, and Kingdom Hearts, the great repository of light and dark, was lost for all time.

One of the worlds born in the ashes of the Keyblade War was the land of Hyrule, a world crafted by four children of pure hearts. These children would craft the world to their liking and would then become powerful deities; Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, Farore, the Goddess of Courage, and Hylia, the Goddess of Light. To protect the world from harm and maintain order and balance, they crafted a mighty tool known as the Triforce. For a time, the balance of light and dark was maintained, and the inhabitants of this world lived in harmony.

However, as the age-old adage goes, nothing lasts forever. From the darkness of the world came a creature born of pure malice. Jealous of the goddess Hylia’s abilities with light, the creature attempted to take the Triforce for its own purposes. Hylia chose an avatar with the help of Nayru to be reborn to combat this malevolent entity and with the aid of Farore, she chose a hero among the mortals to aid her by crafting a magical sword like the Keybearers of old, a mighty sword of power that could seal all evil, a sword known as the Master Sword; The Blade of Evil’s Bane.

Although the malicious entity was vanquished, it laid upon the avatar of Goddess and her hero a terrible curse that would haunt the world of Hyrule for many thousands of years to come. And for generations of Hylia’s chosen ones, the being did return. Each time, they were required to fight the beast and restore balance to the world. The beast goes by many names; Demise, Ganondorf, among other names. But the most feared name of them all is Calamity Ganon.

Through acts of courage and wisdom over skyward realms, troubling passages of time, and the veils of twilight, it hath done battle with the hero and the Goddess incarnate throughout Hyrule’s history.

Its last attempt was to consume everything as a being of pure malice. However, with the help of the colossal technology of the ancient Sheikah clan known as the Divine Beasts, Hylia’s descendant and her chosen hero pushed back Ganon and sealed him away.

As is often the case, nothing lasts forever. Throughout the worlds, the forces of darkness are growing once more, ready to consume the light and wreak destruction upon the worlds. A group of heroes has been attempting to stop the seekers of darkness as best as they can, but the blights that are born from the cruel emotions of hearts, the Heartless, have opened many fissures in the worlds that once were closed.

One of the warriors fighting this latest overreach of the followers of darkness is the wielder of the Kingdom Key, a keyblade of great strength. He is known as the hero of light. The Heatless and their vessels are attempting to snuff out every last shred of light, but they have been beaten back so far by the new generation of warriors of light. Alas, for the darkness hath an entity still that could turn the tides against the light entirely, one that lies sealed away in the land of Hyrule. Waiting, listening…hating.

The Kingdom of Hyrule is in the midst of an era of peace and tranquility; However, covetous groups such as the evil Yiga clan and entities from across the worlds are seeking out the greatest threat darkness has to offer…Calamity Ganon. Can the balance between light and dark be restored? And can the hero of light and Hylia’s chosen ones find a way to stop the Calamity from waking once more?

Only time will tell. Let us observe the following passage and consider the future:

Now, this is the law of the universe, for it is as old and true as life:

The beings of today are not always the ones of tomorrow,

And when one considers all things from famine and strife

To joy and laughter, to torment and sorrow,

There is but one thing that can be certain; 

The only truth of permanence must be stated time and again is 

Impermanence.

The goddess Hylia monitors the situation as best as she can, but even she hath her limitations. The pressing need is growing for the warriors of light to unite and destroy the Calamity and all who seek its destructive force once and for all. But can they do so? Only time can tell. The Calamity has been able to atrophy the defenses that have sealed it for so many years. It could happen any day. After all, nothing lasts forever.


	2. Chapter One: An Unexpected Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora, Donald, and Goofy are instructed by Yen Sid to investigate Hyrule to discover Maleficent's plan. Meanwhile, in Hyrule, the kingdom is holding an inauguration of the Champions who will slay Calamity Ganon.  
> 

**Chapter One**

  
In a land lush with green fields, and lovely orchards, there were various farms, villages, and domiciles scattered about. It was a sunny day, with lots of birds chirping and lovely butterflies flittering about the land.

  
This picturesque backdrop was so gorgeous that it was frankly difficult to wonder how anything could be amiss. But even with all of the beauty of the provincial day-to-day, there was a creeping sense of darkness in the air. A kind of looming presence. In the highlands overlooking the land, a shadowy visage emerged. This presence eyed the land with an eagle’s eye and overlooked it exactly as a predator would its prey. This innocuous and discreet land…if only it knew the horrors that were to come.

  
The figure was attracted to the land by an ancient evil that had beckoned to it. An evil that was so cruel in malice and destruction that the locals had a name for it. Calamity Ganon. The figure turned to the centerpiece of the valley and saw the site for which this land was famous. A massive and stunningly beautiful castle. This kingdom was one of great wealth and power to be able to have in its possession such a place.

  
The castle down below was a bevy of excitement today. It was on this date that the king of this land had designated as the day of inaugurals. He was going to bring forth the chosen champions of this world’s various peoples to lead the charge against Calamity Ganon. In the midst of the glamor and pomp of the ceremonial chicanery were robotic creatures. The figure hmphed a bit. ‘Not unlike those of Shin- ‘. It stopped its thoughts there. It was best not to get too ahead of oneself. After all, the special, uninvited guests would be arriving here soon enough. With a wave of its arms, the figure cast a spell, and dark creatures began to emerge from the shadows. The figure pointed them in the direction of the castle.

  
Watching the creeping beasts approach the castle, slowly but surely, brought a smirk to the figure’s face. It spoke in a sinister tone dripping with sarcastic venom.

  
“Finally, the vessel of our vengeance upon these disgusting humans who ruined the worlds with their lusts and greed.”

  
It began to dissipate back into the dark chasm from whence it came.

  
“Enjoy your final year of peace, Hyrule. Soon, all that you hold dear will cease even to be a memory.”

  
All that was left of the being’s presence was a large, black feather, similar to that of a raven or a crow. If this being was any indication, Hyrule was in deep trouble.

  
x

  
On a beautiful and mysterious plane of space, there is an island of pure astonishment. This island had on it a massive, spiraling, and daunting tower of most intriguing proportions. This tower was one of the true wonders of the multiverse, for this tower was the beginning of journeys and the end of wanderings. This tower was the abode of the greatest sorcerer to the west of the great empire of the Shi’ar and adjacent to a quaint place called Twilight Town. The sorcerer’s name was Yen Sid.

  
Yen Sid was a figure of ancient legend and foretold futures. In addition to being one of the pioneering students of the magician Hoggath, he was one of the great keyblade masters of history. He came from a time beyond remembrance. No one knew how old he truly was. It is possible that even he is not aware of his own age, the centuries passing so completely that even he may not be fully certain. The best estimate is that he's around nineteen-hundred years of age. He is a wise and kind man, but also a powerful man who was not to be trifled with. His powers in the arcane arts are beyond compare, and his only true rivals and contemporaries were the likes of two great sorcerers; Merlin, the fabled, time-traveling teacher of kings and ally to the keybearers. The other being was known as the Ancient One, but as the name implied, the Ancient One was quite elderly and was rumored to be in the search of a successor.

  
So great was the extent of the power of this tower and its occupant that even the most accomplished conjurors of destructive darkness did not dare attempt to take him on in this great place. The last being that had tried it was the trickster demon Mephisto, but he proved to be no match for the power of the sorcerer with the keyblade.

  
On this night, Yen Sid was reviewing reports from his apprentice, King Mickey Mouse, about the concerning details of the cretins of the dark. Normally, the old master would be thrilled to be reading correspondence with the anthropomorphic mouse. He considered the royal a son to him, after all. But Mickey’s reporting portended great distresses. In addition to worrying about his former friend Xehanort’s moves in the realm of darkness, now there were increasing concerns about a dangerous amount of darkness gathering near a world on the outer rim of the galaxy, a world he had only heard about in legend. ‘Hyrule, was it?’ Yes, thought the master.

  
That world’s various magical entities had long enthralled sorcerers and other followers of the arcane for centuries. It was a kind of magical Atlantis. One that was rumored to exist, but never certain to have been. That is until the dark fairy known as Maleficent was detected having discovered the area.

  
Yen Sid stroked his long, well-groomed beard and breathed a sigh of frustration. He began to fiddle with his old cap, a cap of ancient wisdom with stars and crescent moons adorning it. He began to mutter in a language lost to time and memory. His face had creased in the way of a thousand cares and worries. He was continuing to pour over the reports when out of the doorway to his great chambers he heard a voice.

  
“I’m back!”

  
This voice was one that Master Yen Sid knew only too well. It was an innocent kind of voice for one who had endured so much and overcame so many trials and tribulations. The old conjuror smiled ever so slightly, in the same manner as a proud grandpa would. This was a voice he had been eagerly anticipating hearing. His brief reminiscence was broken by two more voices that shouted at once, the owners of both voices also being most intimately familiar to Yen Sid.

  
“Sora! Where have you been?!”, yelled a scratchy voice.

  
“Gawrsh, Sora! Ya sure have been gone for a while,” said a dopey and friendly voice, “I was worried about you!”

  
These voices belonged to an odd duo; these were the court duo of King Mickey’s castle, Disney Castle. Donald Duck and Goofy were their names. They are old friends of the mouse king and had both proven themselves to be quite heroic in their days. Donald Duck is a short little ball of white feathers and he is, as his name suggests, a duck. His temper and funny voice were legendary, but his loyalty to his king and his friends was beyond impugning.

  
Goofy was almost the complete opposite of the duck in every way. He is a tall anthropomorphic dog with black fur and yellow and green clothes. He is, well, a very goofy character. With his trademark country bumpkin voice and demeanor, he endeared himself to people very easily, even if he is quite clumsy.

  
The boy known as Sora laughed a little nervously before bouncing back

  
“Aw, come on you two. I was only gone for a week. Can’t a keyblade hero get a little slack?”

  
Goofy chuckled back, “Ya mean junior hero, Sora!”

  
“Hey, I’ll have you know that Phil was so taken aback by our efforts at the Coliseum that he was speechless!”, Sora retorted jokingly. It seemed they were referring to an encounter with Philoctetes, the trainer of heroes, in Olympus during their previous journey together.

  
“Anyhow, I actually wasn’t supposed to be back for another month or two.”, said Sora.

  
Donald, ever the pugnacious one, piped up, “Well, early or not, you were still gone for too long without contacting us. We didn’t know where you were!”

  
“What can I say, after all the craziness of the Mark of Mastery Exam, I needed a fun break, and a brief stop in Halloween Town was just the place.”

  
Donald huffed at this. “Oh really. And it had nothing to do with the fact that Christmas is only a month from today?"

  
“Hey, are you implying something?”, Sora asked in slight indignation.

  
Goofy chuckled again at this, “Well, Sora, ya can be just a little impatient.”

  
Sora sighed funnily at this. “Ok, so I was a little curious to see if I’d made the nice list this year.”

  
Donald laughed a little at this before blurting out, “More like you were trying to get a quick peek at your presents this year. Hahahaheh!”

  
“Aw, you two are crazy, you know that. Well, anyhow, Jack and the others said to tell you guys hi.”

  
“Gawrsh, I hope that he’s moved on from the whole borrowing Christmas thing”, Goofy half-worriedly stated. By now, their footsteps were approaching the corridor that led to the door. They’d be in Yen Sid’s dwelling any second now. The old sorcerer then saw fit to place his mystical hat upon his head and return to his stern game face. He still couldn’t help but be amused by Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s camaraderie.

  
He was also reminded of the burden he was about to place upon the boys. In his heart of hearts, he hoped that the trouble in Hyrule was minuscule. Deep down, he could feel that a storm was coming.

  
These days, the master’s primary focus is on keeping the peace between worlds and ensuring that the cosmos are free of trouble. Yen Sid has also taken it upon himself to train the next generation of keybearers to fight against the darkness and maintain the balance of light and dark. Two of his current disciples are life-long friends from a tropical paradise world known as the Destiny Islands. Their names are Riku and the aforementioned Sora.

  
Sora and Riku are life-long friends and occasional rivals in just about every subject. Both had a fascination with sword-play, adventure, and life aquatic. Their desire to see the world outside their own fueled their ambitions and the two vowed to see the worlds no matter what. They were later joined in the childish games by Kairi, a sweet girl whose homeworld had been consumed by the darkness when she was still very young. Their day-dreaming ended the night they were set to sail on their raft when the Heartless attacked their island and destroyed it.

  
The trio was separated and embarked on many adventures to find one another again. Sora has gifted a great and terrible weapon known as the Kingdom Key. This was a keyblade of unimaginable potential. Teaming up with Goofy and Donald Duck, Sora became a true hero! Together, they saved countless worlds and each other on more than one occasion.

  
Sora’s latest journey brought him and Riku together to take their Mark of Mastery exams, the final step in a keybearer’s journey to becoming a master. Riku was able to pass the test, but unfortunately, the exam did not go as planned. What started as a task to awaken the sleeping worlds to attain the Power of Waking was quickly ambushed by agents of Master Xehanort, the former master turned seeker of darkness. They intended to use Sora’s body as a vessel for Xehanort to prolong his already vast life. Thankfully, with the help of a reformed member of Xehanort’s order Organization XIII, they were able to escape with Sora.

  
This unexpected turn of events proved to be most unfortunate for Sora, as it meant that he could not properly attain the powers he would need in the coming battle against Organization XIII. But Sora was never one to be discouraged. So, Master Yen Sid sent Sora out on an expedition of the worlds to discover reawaken his powers to prepare him for his ultimate confrontation. That is, until last week when the three good fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather informed him that they had detected Maleficent skulking about in a distant world.

  
Mickey and Riku investigated this world and returned to inform Yen Sid that Maleficent and her forces were indeed on this world, the fabled Hyrule. Instantly, they knew that they had to do something because if Maleficent was lingering on a world of that nature, she must have discovered something significant. Perhaps even the location of the Book of Prophecies.

  
But the matter at hand was what was important and the old sorcerer knew it. Slowly, the door opened and in stepped Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Sora walked in with the same cheery expression he always had. His spiky brown hair remained as sharp looking as ever, and his black and red outfit shone brightly to indicate his status as an enforcer for the light. His large yellow shoes had begun to lose their luster, however. Yen Sid made a mental note to send an incantation to summon the fairies so they could bring their latest batch of vestments.  
“Master Yen Sid! I’m here like you asked,” Sora began after bowing respectfully, “Your letter mentioned that you guys needed me urgently.”

  
Yen Sid closed his eyes and he nodded. “Indeed, Sora. The hour grows late and the stench of the Heartless grows stronger every minute. I fear that we have yet another wrinkle in our plans to combat the growing darkness.”

  
Sora folded his hands behind his head casually, like he always did.

  
“Sounds important. What is the situation?”, Sora finally asked.

  
“I do not have the time to give unto you the finer details of the matter at hand. Only that you, Donald, and Goofy must board your gummi ship and head to the world known as Hyrule. Maleficent is there, and she is seeking to awaken some dark forces within that world. Forces that are potentially lethal to the very existence of the balance of light and dark if it were to eke its way throughout the known universe.”

  
Sora nodded his head in thought. “If Maleficent is involved, then something seriously dangerous must be going on.”

  
Yen Sid kept his ashen face and continued with his debriefing.

  
“That is why the King and I have decided to send the three of you there. You all have experience dealing with both Maleficent and the Heartless. And it is because of the threat she could pose with the ancient magic of Hyrule that the matter must take precedent for you above all else. Knowing this must harden your resolve. Now, this is what you must do. Go to Hyrule and find the castle that exists within it. Seek out King Rhoam Bosphoramus. It may take you a while to gain his trust, but once you have alerted him of the gravity of the situation, I believe the Hylians will believe you.

  
“Sora…Hyrule is a kingdom that is ancient in its ways and magic. If you are not prepared for the challenges that lie ahead there, you may not survive. I believe that it would be wise to join yourselves with local warriors. Allow them to show you their ways, and in turn, aid them in the coming fight with the Heartless. Before you go, take these with you.”  
And with that, Yen Sid raised his hand, and out of nowhere, a series of books appeared. Two of these books are quite old and beaten up, while the last one looks like a field journal that was recently filled out.

  
Yen Sid looked into Sora’s eyes with a serious expression.

  
“The older tomes you see before you are a collection of all the information that we previously had about the Kingdom of Hyrule. Read them well, so you can understand the type of mystique this land imposes on the imagination.”

  
He then gestures to the field notebook.

  
“This journal was compiled by Riku and Mickey during their information-gathering mission. It will fill you in on all that they were able to find regarding Maleficent, as well as any relevant information regarding the land of Hyrule as it is today.”

  
Sora looked at the intimidating collection of work ahead of him. He then began to chuckle nervously. Academics and research had never been his strongest suit. He’d always been more of a man of action than anything else. Donald and Goofy, meanwhile, were looking between each other with expressions of worry about them. This was clearly going to be quite the mission if it had scared the King and Yen Sid into taking such decisive action. This was doubly worrying given all of the trouble with Organization XIII and Master Xehanort. Neither Donald and Goofy knew anything about this Hyrule. What could be so worried about this land that it would cause them to sideline the mission against Xehanort for the time being? One thing was certain; neither Donald nor Goofy were going to allow Sora to waltz into this situation without their help.

  
Yen Sid then showed his hands to the door nearby. Inside, he told them, the three good fairies would be waiting with their new vestments. With one last look of determination, Yen Sid bid the three of them farewell and began to make his way to the inner sanctum to review some spells. The trio talked to the three good fairies and in the process, they were given their upgraded outfits. While they did not specify what they could do, they did mention that the new uses would become apparent in time.

  
Sora’s new outfit was similar to the previous outfit’s color scheme, but blacker than in the previous design. He was not sure what they would do for him right away, but he could definitely a great power emanating from within. He was excited to test it out. That left just one last thing.

  
“Down here!!”, a familiar voice cried out.

  
Right away, all three heroes knew who that voice belonged to.

  
“Jiminy!”, all three of them exclaimed at once. Right down at their feet was a little creature in a suit and top-hat. He was light green and almost looked like a lima bean in clothes, and he was beaming up at the trio in recognition.

  
He spoke up after a second.

  
“I’ll be tarred and feathered. It’s certainly been a while since we’ve been on one of our journeys. How’ve you been, fellas?”

  
Goofy then looked down at Jiminy and offered his hand so the little cricket could jump into his palm.

  
Goofy then said, “We’ve doin’ just fine, Jiminy. How’d ya get here?”

  
“Oh, that’s easy. As soon as Yen Sid was informed by the King of our upcoming mission, he made an emergency communique with the Blue Fairy of my world and she sent me here in a jiffy. Pinoke’ll be sad I’m gone, but ever since he became a real boy, he’s needed me less and less lately.” You could tell there was a glint of sadness in the little cricket’s eyes.

  
“Why, sooner or later, he won’t even need his old conscience anymore. You should see him and Geppetto sometime Sora. He’s turned into quite the young man.”  
Sora looked down at him in sympathy. But seeing his comrades' concern for him made him perk up.

  
“Oh, don’t worry about me boys. Let’s just get going. The others are counting on us to figure this nasty business with Maleficent.”  
They decided it was probably for the best to save the reunions for later, and they picked up their books and began to make for the Gummi ship. The Gummi ship was really quite massive, thanks in large part due to the efforts of their old engineer friend Cid.

  
And with one last glance at Yen Sid’s tower, in all its resplendent glory, the boys made their way aboard the vessel. They made their way to the cockpit and began to set the ship to go.  
Sora was beaming. “Another adventure! And with you guys tagging along with me again. I just can’t wait for us to get there!!”

  
Goofy turned to Sora, smiling. “Gawrsh Sora, you sure are excited!”

  
Donald had a less certain expression. After a moment, he spoke up, “Now remember Sora, this isn’t going to be a vacation. We’re here on serious business.”  
Sora looked at him with a look of recognition at the gravity of the situation. He spoke again.

  
“I know this is serious. But still, we have to make the best out of the situation, don’t we? After all, think of all the things we’re going to see when we get there!”  
Goofy similarly decided to get in on Sora’s optimism.

  
“Yeah, that’s right! We can’t let Maleficent get us down. After all, all for one and one for all, right fellers?”

  
“Imagine the incredible sights we’re gonna see their guys! That castle sounds like it’s going to be really something to see.”, said Sora.

  
“Yeah, Yeah. And imagine all the good food we’re going to be eating while we’re there. Mhmm…” Goofy trailed off, with a drooling expression on his visage.  
Donald shook his head haughtily at his friend’s hopelessness.

  
“Goofy, can’t you ever think of anything other than…gurgle…”, Donald was cut off mid-sentence by a growling sound in his stomach. He blushed a bright ruby. He then rubbed the back of his head and began laughing nervously.

  
Sora then began to cheekily giggle. ‘Thinking only with our stomachs, eh?’ Although he was hardly one to talk, his own stomach began to grumble not long after.  
Goofy chuckled, “I guess we’re all a little hungry, eh? I’ll bet that castle is bound to have something for us to grub on. Let’s go, Sora!”

  
Sora then began wiring the coordinates on the map from Riku and Mickey’s journal to their helpers at Disney Castle, Chip, and Dale. Chip and Dale are a pair of chipmunks that worked primarily in engineering for the Gummi ship. They then began to appear on the video monitor in the ship.  
“Howdy there Sora!”, began Dale.

  
“Ok boys! Are you ready to head out to Hyrule?”, continued Chip.

  
Sora, Donald, and Goofy all let out an emphatic, “Yeah!”, all at once. At that, Chip and Dale pushed a series of buttons and saluted the trio, bidding them happy flying. And with that, the ship began to rumble, with energy masses appearing around the ship as it was making its way to the jump to lightspeed. All three of the adventurers were positively anxious to get on the road. Then the countdown began…3…2…1 and BLASTOFF!!

  
Watching it all was Master Yen Sid from below. He bowed his head and said a silent prayer.

  
“Sora, Donald, Goofy. Please hurry. Only with the help of the hero of Hyrule can you defeat Calamity Ganon, and Maleficent.” Yen Sid then turned around and departed to his chambers for some much-needed rest. This night would be one of fitful prayer and rest.

XX

  
In the courtyard of Hyrule Castle, a knight was observing his men practicing. They were the elite soldiers of the realm. His men were in absolutely top shape, and yet something was troubling this young knight. For today would be an important day for him. Today, he would be officially appointed to two tasks of great significance. One was to be the Hylian Champion and prepare the soldiers for a war against the impending threat against Calamity Ganon. The other, and honestly the more anxiety-inducing, was to be the personal knight to her royal highness, Princess Zelda.

  
The knight looked at the placement of the sun in the day and realized that he needed to call off training for the day, and gave a whistle. In an instant, the men stood at attention. He whistled once more to signal to the men to return to their posts for the day.

  
Turning around, the knight faced the castle once more and saw in the balcony a beautiful young woman in the most magnificent blue dress. Her long, blonde hair seemed to shine in the sunlight like glittering. She was truly every bit the sheer image of the Goddess incarnate. And yet, a kind of sadness was upon her face. It was the sort that only seemed to further dig in the magnitude of what lies before him. For as difficult as his task would be, her task would be considerably harder. She looked down to the knight and met his eyes. At first, there was no reaction. Both were silent and still. Eventually, her expression turned into one of forced indifference, and she quickly turned away and began making her way to the ceremonial halls of the castle. It was time to begin. She was the centerpiece to the whole operation, as her father so often bore into day and night with his constant stream of criticism.

  
She was Princess Zelda, future Queen of Hyrule and the Goddess Hylia’s latest reincarnation. And he was Link, her appointed knight and, thanks to the newly gained sword on his back, the chosen hero of Hyrule.

  
The Bearer of the Blade of Evil’s Bane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing, Nintendo, Disney, and Square Enix own everything in the work except any original idea.
> 
> I would like to post some of the worlds the Champions and SDG(Sora, Donald, and Goofy) will be visiting:  
> Port Royal(2 visits to account for Dead Man's Chest and At World's End.)  
> Madhya Pradesh(Jungle Book)  
> NYC(Marvel)  
> Ruins of Atlantis(Indiana Jones)  
> And 1 surprise world...


	3. Chapter Two: Standing on Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Champion's inauguration is interrupted as Sora, Donald, and Goofy arrive in Hyrule. Princess Zelda's fears and insecurities are analyzed, and the fears of a young woman in a world far from Hyrule are also seen as well.

**Chapter 2: Standing on Ceremony.**

After a few hours of speeding along in deep space, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were starting to grow impatient. Sora was stretching in the cockpit when he said,

“How much longer until we’re there?” This had to have been the fiftieth time he’d asked that and Donald was starting to lose it.

“We’ll get there when we get there. Be patient, Sora!”, the duck quacked.

“Fine! I don’t mean to complain, but come on! I haven’t had anything to eat all day!”, Sora complained.

Goofy sighed at the two’s antics, giving Jiminy a kind of there they go again expression.

Donald replied, “Well it’s _your_ fault for arriving at Yen Sid’s late!”

Sora shot back, “How was I supposed to know it was after breakfast? Have you tried keeping time out in space? It's darn near impossible!”

“It wouldn’t be impossible if you just studied space/time conversion as I told you to.”, Donald continued to lecture.

“Hey, give me a break. You know I just barely passed math!”, Sora retorted.

“Yeah, clearly.”, Donald haughtily said.

Sora looked indignantly.

“Really Donald? At least I can master the art of gliding. You still struggle with it and you’re a part bird!”, Sora shot back.

At this Donald Duck got peeved and turned a little red.

“Why you little…”

At that Goofy shouted, “Gwarsh fellers! Look ahead! There it is!”.

With that, Sora and Donald stopped their squabbling and turned to the windows. What they saw made both of their jaws drop. Hyrule was perhaps one of the biggest worlds any of them had ever seen! It was enormous. Rivaled only by the likes of the Caribbean or the Pride Lands. They could see forests, mountains, deserts, and all manner of biomes. What caught their attention, however, was the giant castle that seemed to be right in the center of the land. Soon, their radar began to sound off giving the go-ahead to begin landing.

Donald then turned to the group and began to give a speech.

“Gentlemen, and Sora,” at that, Sora scowled a little before Donald continued, “I present to you Hyrule! Let’s land!”.

Goofy then looked at a red button and shouted,

“Oh boy! Hyrule, here we come!” With that, Goofy then pressed the red button. Donald did a double-take at that and squawked.

“Goofy! No, that’s the off switch, not the land button!” But it was too late. The ship began falling comically towards the surface of the planet. They all shouted as they fell towards a nearby lake. Goofy in particular gave his standard holler that Donald and Sora had come to know quite well.

The gummi ship landed in the water with a massive splash! As the trio regained their bearings, they checked to make sure everyone and the ship were fine.

Donald looked at Goofy as he regained equilibrium and said, “That is the last time you press any buttons on my ship!”

Goofy flashed a sheepish smile and apologized, saying “Sorry, Donald. Sometimes Ah let my excitement get tha best of me.”

Donald sighed, knowing full well that he couldn’t stay mad at Goofy.

Everyone then looked outside the ship and was awed by the sunny landscape they saw all around them. It was a beautiful day in Hyrule, with birds chirping and the fields by the lakeshore teeming with green and some life. From a distance, they could see a deer taking a drink of the water before bounding upwards and out of sight. This was truly a pristine place.

Finally breaking the silence, Sora let out an astonished, “Wow!”, with Donald and Goofy following suit. Sora looked around and asked Donald and Goofy where they were. According to the Gummi ship coordinates that Riku had downloaded for Sora, it was likely somewhere in the southern corner of a place called Hyrule field. They had apparently landed in one of the biggest lakes in Hyrule known as Lake Hylia. The water was so pristine and clean looking, that the trio almost felt bad for disturbing the water.

The Gummi Ship was mostly intact, but it would likely need to charge for a few days before being able to travel in space again. So, they instead sent the craft up into orbit where it would stay until they needed it.

The trio then waded ashore and looked around. They saw a road by a clearing in the field. On the road came a traveler bearing with him a donkey and a cart, clearly a man about to sell his wares somewhere. The trio went over to the man and spoke.

Sora said, “Excuse me, sir. We’re travelers and we’re a bit lost. Can you point us in the direction of Hyrule Castle? We have an urgent message for the King.”

The salesman looked them over and saw how sopping wet they were. At that, he cackled a bit and said, “Well for tha sake o’ tha goddess, Ah hope ye gents weren’t a-lookin' fer the Castle in the wa’er. Ain’t much in ole Hylia 'cept fer tha bass an’ tha ‘casional octorocks.”

The trio looked down at their appearances with a slightly embarrassed look, and the salesman laughed again.

  
“In all seriousness though, if yer lookin’ fer tha Castle, it is just up tha’ river there northwestwards. Ya’ canae miss ‘t.”, and with that, the traveler was on his way again.

The trio turned to the direction the man said and saw a winding path, and with one last check to see if they had all that they needed, the trio was off. For a few minutes, they continued on the path largely unabated, crossing paths with the occasional traveler along the way. Soon, however, their stomachs were starting to churn. They all decided to find a place to slate their pangs of hunger. But where?

Suddenly, over the ridge, they heard what sounded like the neighing of a horse. Sora ran over to the top of the hill to find what looked like a stable. Figuring this would be as good a place as any to find something to eat, the trio stopped at the stable and attempted to buy something to eat…only to promptly discover that they needed a currency called rupees and that their Munny was next to worthless in this world. Sora, Donald, and Goofy sighed as they began to walk towards the castle again. This was going to be quite the expedition.

**x.**

On a world very far from the events on Hyrule, there was a woman selling flowers on the street corner. This world was one of refuge and rebuilding. It was once connected to a larger overall land known as Gaia, but due to the drilling by an awful energy corporation known as Shinra, it had long since been strip-mined of its former beauty.

The life force of the world was all but extinguished. The only part of the old world that really remained was a large town that stood wherein a part of Gaia the Shinra Corporation could never reach. This town was called many things, including Hollow Bastion, but most residents call it by its traditional name; Radiant Garden. The Heartless and Maleficent very nearly destroyed this fragile world over ten years ago to use it as a base of operations. She took over the old castle and all of its research facilities to wage her conquest of darkness.

During Sora’s previous adventures, it was revived with great effort thanks to the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. The woman selling flowers happened to be a member of that committee. Her name was Aerith Gainsborough.

Aerith had long, brunette hair that was tied in a bow. She wore a flowing pink dress with red trimmings. Aerith belonged to an ancient race of beings known as the Cetra. In fact, Aerith was the last of her kind as far as she knew. The Cetra were famous for their ability to tap into the core of the planet and become one with its Lifestream.

Now, Aerith was a kind but hardly a delicate soul who was loved by most who knew her. She was rarely seen without a smile on her face as she lived a normal existence upon what was once her home. And yet, she could not help but feel anxious. Before the destruction of Gaia, she had been part of a group of freedom fighters known as Avalanche. They were committed to the destruction of Shinra and saving the world’s energy. They were not successful in this venture. The dark warrior known as the One-Winged Angel saw to that. A man whose very name made the fiercest of warriors blood turn ice cold...Sephiroth.

Aerith sighed dreamily as she continued about her day. It would be noon soon, and she had been dying to grab a Sea-salt ice cream from Scrooge McDuck. Scrooge was a trillionaire entrepreneur who also happened to be Donald Duck’s uncle. He'd set up shop in Radiant Garden a while ago to help grow the local economy. And make a bit change on the side, but that was neither here nor there. He was a stubborn old tightwad. Beneath that folksy Scottish veneer lied a man of shrewd cunning who had outwitted the smartest of the smart and out-fought the toughest of the tough. But Aerith liked the old skinflint. He reminded her of herself. Not the greedy, stingy part of his personality, but the part that had an intrepid spirit and never gives up. She could relate to that. None of that mattered at that moment. What mattered was lunchtime!

Putting her flowers in her basket, she walked over to the town plaza and waited in the growing line for her Ice Cream. On a nice fall day like today, Aerith couldn’t help but think of all the things in life that brought her joy. Her favorite places and things. Her happiest dreams. And, of course, all the friends she had made along the way. Sora, Donald, and Goofy for a start. Then Merlin, Leon, Yuffie, and Cid were still with her in Radiant Garden. Her heart grew heavier when she thought of her friends in Avalanche. Barret, Nanaki, Vincent, Cait Sith…and her dearest friends Tifa and Cloud.

Barret, Nanaki, Vincent, and Cait Sith were all currently on an expedition to find the remaining Shinra reactors and shut them down to begin the process of restoring the World. Tifa and Cloud on the other hand…the last time Aerith had seen any of them was roughly a year ago. Cloud had been looking for Sephiroth to finally settle the score with him for destroying his village and Tifa usually went wherever Cloud went. But this time, Cloud and Sephiroth’s battle took them off to another world somewhere. They vanished in a brilliant flash of light. Unfortunately, no one knew where they were taken. Tifa took off after Cloud and hadn’t been seen since.

Her best friend and the one dearest to her heart both being in parts unknown filled Aerith with dread and unease. This was especially the case with that maniac Sephiroth on the loose. With a mind as twisted as his, who knew what kind of darkness he could be unleashing.

Aerith did her best to keep such thoughts from her mind, but they often found their way in on their own. But it always helped to remember all the good she was doing for the people of Radiant Garden. Most importantly, it always was important to her to remember her dear friends. Still, she could not help but wonder if the fear she felt in the lifestream was but an inkling of what was to come. When Aerith got her Ice Cream, she made her way back to the corner where she had been selling flowers.

‘Perhaps’, she thought, ‘I will go to the chapel tonight and pray for a while.’

  
Little did Aerith know just how correct her premonitions would turn out to be.

**xx.**

Princess Zelda wandered the hallowed hallways of her family's legacy to Hyrule, the great and terrible fortress known to all Hyruleans as Hyrule Castle. It was a masterpiece in every sense of the word, the work of thousands of years of construction, reconstruction, renovation, and redesign. Indeed, it was widely regarded as the most impressive creation in all the land. And no other place in the world made Zelda feel more trapped.

It wasn’t that she hated her home, far from it. It held many wonderful memories. Memories, primarily, of her mother, the Late Queen Zelda. It was a funny thing, she thought. To name your daughters after yourself. It was strange when men did that with their sons, and it struck Zelda as equally strange that every Queen was to pass on the Zelda name to their firstborn child. A child who, thanks to the goddess’s bloodlines, was almost always destined to be a girl named Zelda. Tradition. Zelda had never been one for it, it bored her and caused her nothing but grief. The kind of grief that whittled one down to a mere shadow themselves. Just like her father, King Rhoam.

Life with her father had become…strained, to be mild about it. The man who ruled the land of Hyrule carried the weight of a kingdom, but he made his daughter bear the weight of history. For in times of despair, where else could one turn to but to the loving embrace of their parents? To Zelda, the only embrace she could get from King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule was to be told over and over again to embrace her duties. To pray, day and night, on end. Day-in and day-out.

Zelda was actually quite close to the King once when she was a small child. She recalled all the times they use to row together down the castle lake, or the family holidays at Lurelin Beach. Her heart ached merely thinking about such happy times. Sadly, these were not to last. Her mother, Queen Zelda, had been murdered during a Yiga Clan raid on her caravan as it was departing to visit her friend, the Gerudo warrior Urbosa.

Urbosa…if there was anyone in the world Zelda could always count on to listen to her, it was her. In many ways, Urbosa had become her second mother. Urbosa was a tall, tan-skinned woman with fiery red hair that resembled the mane of the most elegant horses on the Gerudo desert. The tough as nails Gerudo warrior was the envy of all her people as well as their pride and joy. That tribe of Amazons had come a long way in the eons since the era of the traitorous Gerudo King and had become a true friend to Hylians everywhere. Urbosa’s very name inspired fear in the hearts of her enemies. She was so skilled in the faculties of both swordsmanship and magic, that she had developed her own unique skill. With the snap of her fingers, Urbosa could call down a rain of lightning that could decimate an entire encampment of Yiga warriors before they even got their weapons.

But for all of Urbosa’s fearsome reputation, she was a kind and warm friend. Her humor was what endured her to the Gerudo women and to anyone else who had made her acquaintance. But her most tender moments of kindness, as well as fiercest ribbings, were always with Zelda, her “Little Bird” as she was fond of calling her.

If there was one benefit to today, it was that Urbosa was chosen to be the champion of the Gerudo Tribe’s Divine Beast; Vah Naboris. The great camel-like colossus was going to be very useful in the coming battles. At least, that is what the Sheikah scientist Purah had told Zelda.

Zelda had been obsessed with technology since she was a small girl. Scientific research was perhaps the one indulgence that Zelda had ever really been allotted in life given that it was something that would benefit Hyrule. Recently, Zelda had been tasked with aiding the Champions in getting their Divine Beasts to function with the utmost efficiency. As she began walking towards the courtyard to find the Knight who had been chosen to seal the darkness, she couldn’t help but gush with excitement over her forthcoming studies. Purah had recently loaned her a book on Sheikah technology that the young princess had read and re-read at least several times. What particularly interested her were the mechanical guardians that had sprung out all around Hyrule during the Sheikah’s excavations. They moved on their own and could fire lasers from their heads! How astonishing was that? was something Zelda often stated when checking out the progress of these guardians.

But Zelda realized she was getting lost in thought again. She had to remember that today was of the utmost importance; today was the inauguration of the Champions. Zelda had personally traveled around Hyrule to find the chosen people who were to pilot the Divine Beasts of their own individual races; Revali of the Rito was chosen to pilot Vah Medoh. Daruk of the Gorons was selected for Vah Rudania. The aforementioned Chief Urbosa of the Gerudo was entrusted the command of Vah Naboris. Lastly, Princess Mipha of the Zora was handed Vah Ruta.

Princess Zelda had her own role to play in the coming struggles as well. She was to convalesce her ancestors’ ancient powers over the light to seal away the Calamity when it arrived. Zelda frowned upon thinking of her abilities. Zelda had tried to awaken them since she was a child. She had prayed for hours-on-end at the sacred pools of the goddesses every time she came of age to do so but to no avail. To make matters worse, her father was increasingly haranguing her about unlocking her powers. The pressure from Calamity Ganon’s return and her hidden abilities were enough to drive Zelda totally bananas. It simply wasn’t fair! she thought. And then there was the matter of her newly appointed knight…Link.

She saw him from the balcony as she had reached the courtyard. She had locked eyes with him…those infuriatingly radiant blue-eyes and that obnoxiously stoic confidence they exuded. Goddesses above she wanted to puke! Holding that sword in his hands. The Master Sword. This fool had come from nowhere and was not only the greatest warrior Hyrule had at only 18 but now he had recently pulled The Master Sword from its pedestal. The Master Sword!? The prize that seasoned warriors for thousands of years had tried and failed to obtain, and this…this random knight just pulled it out like it was nothing.

Anyhow, her presence must have reminded the Knight that he would be required down at the ceremony. He called off the training and began to make his way to stables with his horse to get ready. Zelda and Link looked once more into each other’s eyes. The princess was unsure if she should smile or wave or something, but it was the Knight who gave the more intriguing response. Most of the time when people saw Zelda, they smiled. How could they not? She was their future queen! She was always being told of how beautiful she was. Not that Zelda had ever cared about such things. But Link? He just stared right back with his same stoic expression. It wasn’t a blank expression nor was it a dull one. It was deep in thought, but what could he be thinking! It drove Zelda crazy. He rarely ever spoke as it was.

Zelda curtly turned away from him after holding eye contact for another moment or two. Scowling, she made her way to the final stage before her travel to the castle’s main gathering. That boy. That boy!

‘He thinks that just because he pulled that sword from its pedestal, he must be better than me.’, Zelda thought aloud. Even worse, her father had just appointed him to be her knight. This meant that he would be following her around twenty-four/seven to protect her while she traveled around to attain her enlightenment. To make matters worse, the King always seemed to compliment the Knight for his abilities. It was always, “Sir Knight, you are more astonishing than we’d previously thought.”, or “You truly are the one destined to seal the darkness.” The princess was lucky to get even a small acknowledgment for her successes. The most she ever got was a small nod. It made her feel so inadequate. Honestly, it was not even the Knight’s fault. But she couldn’t help but blame her shortcomings on him. Zelda sometimes struggled to filter out her frustrations. After all, her only real friends apart from Urbosa were Purah and Impa. She could see them now in the foyer of the castle halls, waiting for her to arrive. They smiled and waved upon seeing her.

Purah and Impa were sisters who hailed from the Sheikah clan that had been volunteered by their tribe to aid her. They both had the platinum hair that all Sheikah had, but that was about the only similarity between the two. They met Zelda around a year ago when the Sheikah first began studying the possible uses of the ancient technology to use against Ganon. It took a little while, but the three eventually became close to her.

Purah was an oddball, but a well-meaning one. She often researched the Sheikah technology with an equally strange Sheikah man by the name of Robbie. Her crowning achievement was the creation of the Sheikah Slate, which had many abilities that Zelda was only beginning to discover including magnesis, generating energy bombs, and the power to capture true-to-life images with the click of a button. This to Zelda was by far the most intriguing ability. 

  
Impa was a little bit of a stiff compared to her sister. She was often very serious, which was normal given that Impa was expected to lead the Sheikah Clan someday. Her duties often got the better of her. Still, she had an elegant beauty about her that was matched only by her graceful demeanor. She took a little while to warm-up to Zelda, but once she did, the two were very close.

Purah looked at Zelda and said, “Zelda! Are you ready for the big day?!”

Zelda did a half-smile and replied, “I suppose. With all four Champions and the Knight who pulled the sword, the kingdom seems to be in quite the tizzy for today’s festivities.”

Purah giggled, “That’s one way of putting things. I just can’t wait to show off my badass new machines! Yeppers! Let’s go.”

Impa gave a glare, “Purah. Watch your language in front of her highness!”

Purah stuck her tongue out in reply. Zelda couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Then she went a little silent.

“I only wish that I could be the princess they need me to be today. One who already has the powers of the Goddess ready to defend them.”, Zelda muttered glumly, her head cast to the side.

Impa raised a hand to comfort her, “Hey now, Princess. This is a big day. The entire kingdom is here to celebrate. They love you! You will get your powers. Sometimes these things take time, that is all.”

Purah burst in with an excited, “Yeah! With our combined wits and your dedication, that monster won’t know what hit ‘im! It’ll be as easy as one, two, three, Snap!” With that, Purah snapped her fingers excitedly.

Zelda smiled sadly. She wished she could share in their confidence. But she still had a road to travel. If she ever even awoke her powers that is…

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the royal bugle. She began to panic a little and started to make her way to the entrance of the balcony where her father would be waiting.

“We shall have to reminisce later! I will see you both from the ceremony.”

Both Sheikah waved goodbye before making their way to their respective posts for the festivities. Zelda opened the door to Castle Balcony where her father was. All out in front of her from her perch on the balcony, she could see the largest mass of people she had ever seen! Hylians, Zora, Gorons, and Gerudo all as far as the eye could see. The people cheered when her presence was announced. It was deafening! She turned to smile at her father with an awkward smile and apologized for being late. The King merely frowned and turned to face the audience. This gesture merely furthered the princess’s dejected feelings.

  
After a few moments, the King spoke with a deep and powerful voice,

“Citizens of Hyrule! We are here today to consecrate this sacred quest to rid our lands of Calamity Ganon!” The crowd cheered even louder at hearing their king’s voice.

He gestured again for quiet.

“As King of Hyrule, I cannot be more pleased to mark this occasion with the utmost merriment and solidarity. First, let me thank the representatives of the races from across the kingdom. Firstly, let me thank the Zora!”

The elegant Zora delegation clapped in a dignified but ebullient manner.

“The Gorons!”

The large and gregarious Gorons hooted and shouted with joy. 

“The Gerudo!”

The tall Gerudo warriors all whistled with cries of, “Sa’Oten!”, in the ancient Gerudo tongue.

“The Rito!”

The Rito as a general rule are more subdued than the other races but began to flap their wings in recognition.

“And finally, my fellow Hylians. May the goddesses bless all of us and lead us to our victory against Calamity Ganon.”

The Hylians in the crowd cheered for their King and the Princess. Zelda couldn’t help but feel a touch nervous. Not from the size of the crowd, she was used to that. But from their cries of adulation. She felt…unworthy of the people’s love for her. 'Goddesses above, why can I not figure out my abilities!?' she thought.

The King raised his voice to speak again.

“I know that some of you have grown increasingly nervous with the arrival of more monsters in our land. The plagues of Bokoblins, Moblins, and other foul beasts have increased considerably. No doubt, all of them subsisting upon the feast of Ganon’s malice. We know that Hyrule’s archenemy is upon us and it is up to all subjects to respond with appropriate fervency in the cause of combat. We know that the Yiga clan grow ever closer in their goal of resurrection and that the Calamity may be only months away.

“However! We know that there are advantages on our end. Recently, our esteemed friends the Sheikah Clan have uncovered a great many of the ancient technology of times long since passed. Included among these discoveries are the guardians you all see before you know, and of course the reason we are here; The Divine Beasts that helped conquer the Calamity ten thousand years prior. Let us congratulate the Sheikah with our sincerest thanks!”

The Sheikah representatives, among whom Zelda could spot Purah and Impa, bowed respectfully before the congregation. This was truly a moment of triumph for the Clan after all of the hardships they had endured after centuries of conflict with the Yiga Clan. They were taking it all in stride. Zelda was happy for her friends at that moment and was thrilled they were enjoying their moment of glory.

“And at last”, the King regained after a moment or two, “We get to the meat of today’s festivities. As you all know, Princess Zelda has embarked upon a quest to bring together the four Champions. These Champions will pilot their Divine Beasts gifted to their respective races and aid the Princess in her coming battle against Calamity Ganon. Step Forth the Chosen Champions!”

At this, one Champion from each race of Hyrule stepped forth. The first one was a Goron by the name of Daruk. Daruk was massive and had a gregarious demeanor to go along with his appearance. His massive, white beard was grinning from ear to ear. Zelda smiled a bit seeing him. Daruk had been the second Champion she had met whilst she was visiting Death Mountain. Death Mountain was a volcanic mountain that was the home of the Gorons and had been acting up lately. Soothsayers of millennia-long since passed had said that disturbances on Death Mountain were always a mark of Ganon’s return. Daruk walked forward and then faced the Gorons. He raised his fist in the air as they cheered him on.

The next Champion was Zelda’s dear friend Chief Urbosa. The last time she had seen Urbosa was about a month ago when she had offered her control of Vah Naboris during her quest to find the Champions. Zelda smiled down at her and caught Urbosa’s eye. The Gerudo Chief looked back and gave what could only be described as the warmest look reserved only between a mother and her children. She then walked with a casual grace about her before turning to face her fellow warriors. She bowed her head slightly all while maintaining a poise of coolness. The Gerudo women all raised their shields and slammed them with their scimitars, the standard weapon set of the Gerudo.

The next Champion was the one she knew the least about, Revali of the Rito. The Rito were anthropomorphic bird-like beings that had pioneered the art of archery. The Rito lived primarily in the Northwestern reaches of Hyrule known as Tabantha. Tabantha was known for being a cold and desolate climate where only the strongest survived. It was little wonder that the Rito were so fierce as warriors. They came in many shapes and sizes.

Revali was largely blue with an elegant plumage that spoke to years of careful grooming on his part and an overall confident and elegant appearance. He also had a large yellow beak and two red marks on his otherwise dark blue visage. Revali was perhaps the greatest archer the world of Hyrule had ever seen. It was rumored he was able to notch and fire two arrows in a single second.

The Rito was the first Champion Zelda traveled to recruit, and to say that Revali’d left an impression was an understatement. Revali had accepted the title of Champion but had declared that he would be the one to come out on top and not Link. For some reason, the Rito archer and her newly appointed knight did not seem to care for one another. They were competitive in virtually all things.

Revali stepped forward and decided to show off a little bit. Crouching down, he used the special magic he created that allowed him to create an updraft of wind from the ground around him. After this, he soared through the air, gliding gracefully and confidently. He then traded in his grace for his typical arrogance, shooting a variety of clearly designed targets on the ground with his arrows. What a goddess damned show-off, Zelda thought. Still, at least he had earned his abilities through years of work, unlike the knight. Speaking of whom, she looked down to see him in front of the champions. He was usually unreadable, but he was clearly less than impressed with Revali’s antics.

Link then turned towards the Zora crowd and looked at the final Champion to come forward, Mipha. It was here that she noticed something about Link. Throughout the time she’d known him, he rarely showed emotion. Never cracked a smile or yelled when he was agitated. He was as stoic as they came. But when he looked at Mipha, Zelda saw something different. It was a blink and you’ll miss it change, but it was there. Warmth? Friendly? Something like that.

One could hardly blame Link for that momentary lapse. Mipha was an utterly lovely Zora. Like the other Zora, she was a picture of the half-sea creature, half-Hylian visage they all shared. She had a beautiful red and white complexion, whereas most Zora was blue or grey in color. Being a Zora, she of course looked quite different from a Hylian. But anyone could see just how beautiful she was. She moved with a grace and poise that was almost serene. Her fin on her head was smooth, well-cared for, with pretty jewelry adorning it. She may have appeared demure, but Zelda knew better. When she had come to collect Mipha in Zora’s Domain a couple of weeks ago, Mipha had scaled a waterfall with her younger brother in tow like it was nothing. It was an incredible thing to see.

Her abilities were primarily in healing. She was widely regarded as the finest healer among the Zora. She had been trained in combat as well. Mipha was a skilled wielder of tridents and had taken on countless monsters in her day. There were even rumors that Mipha had helped Link slaughter a Lynel, the ultimate prize for a Hyrule warrior. This brought her to the next fact that she knew of Mipha. Apparently, she and Link had been friends at some point. She gave a peculiar reaction when Zelda mentioned him during her trip. At the time she’d dismissed it as mere recognition of a friend. But looking at the way Link and Mipha seemed to regard one another, it was clear that on Mipha’s end there was something more.

Mipha walked right up to Link and the two began conversing. Link’s reaction to their conversation was something that still interested Zelda. But that would have to wait. The King then began the conclusion of his speech so that they could officially dub the heroes the Champions of Hyrule.

“And now that we have the Champions of the Zora, Rito, Gorons, and Gerudo peoples, we can officially confirm that our very own royal knight Link has been chosen by the Master Sword…”

The Hylians in the audience absolutely erupted at this news. The knights, who were usually composed, went hog-wild hooting and whistling for their revered young Captain. It made Zelda lower her head in shame while her thoughts churned darkly regarding the Knight. What made him so special, she kept wondering.

The King’s speech continued.

“I must say that I am exceedingly thrilled to have in our midst such a brave young man as the hero of the sword! And now, we hereby consecrate his role as the Hylian Champion and as the guardian of Princess Zelda. With the combined aid of the champions and the Divine Beast, Calamity Ganon shall be…”

Suddenly, an explosion cut the king off. Everyone began looking around, panicked whispers gathering amongst the crowd. What had happened? Where had that come from? Zelda looked ahead and saw a couple of the guardians were firing at something in the distance, something she couldn’t quite make out. Something small. Something…terrifying. She did not know what this mysterious intruder was, but every part of her being told her that it was not good.

Link gave a look of command and the knights began to prepare for combat as the explosions began to get closer. The King then ordered the castle gates be opened so all civilians could be evacuated safely inside. Zelda herself was gestured inside along with the King. Zelda took one last look behind her and she saw something she had never seen before. A swarm of beings that were different from monsters. These creatures seemed otherworldly, beyond normal comprehension. What were they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is where we are introduced to the Champions and Princess Zelda, along with Aerith. The next chapter will be very action-heavy as the Champions and SDG meet in earnest.

**Author's Note:**

> All rights to these characters and story elements are under the ownership of Nintendo, Disney, and Square Enix. I own nothing.


End file.
